Coffee-making device



Feb. IE3, 3

0. A. A. PETERS zgwfiymo COFFEE-MAKING DEVICE Filed March 7, 1958 2Sheets-She et 1 INVENTOR.

L? -A.A./F7TEF?5 TTORNEY.

' EAQQQW Filed March 7, 1938 2 sheets- -sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 13, 1940 l A UNITED STATES PATENTTOFFICEL 2,190,270GOFFEELMAKING DEVICE Ambrose A. Peters, Milwaukee, Wis. ApplicationMarch 7, 1938, SerialNo. 194,405 3 Claims. 01. 535-3),

This invention appertainsto cofiee-making dcvices, arid has for one ofits primary objects the provision of a novel cofiee urn for restaurantsand the like, in which the obtaining of a uniform, clear infusion ofcoffee at all times is assured without sediment and objectionableingredients.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a coffee-makingdevice embodying a container for the ground or pulverized cofiee beans,with means for forcing hot water under pressure up through the groundcoffee into a suitable dispensing vessel, the device eliminating theenstomary procedure of water gravitating down through the ground colfee,which allows hot water to stay in contact with the ground coffee'toolong a period of time, which results in the water taking up allobjectionable constituents of the ground coffee.

A further object of my invention is to provide, a cofiee urn embodying aclosed boiler for receiving a predetermined quantity of clear water. anda container for receiving a predetermined quantity of ground 'coiTee,whereby a uniform grade of coifee canbe obtained at all times withoutlikelihood of error.

A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means forforming the container for the ground cofiea'and novel meansforassociatingthe same with the urn, whereby the container can bereadilyand quickly'placed for delivering made coffee to any desiredselected dispensing tank.

A further salient object of my invention is the provision of a containerfor the ground coffee, with novel means for forcing hot. water up underpressure through the coffee, the container having novel means forfiltering the liquid as the same leaves the container so as to insurethe quick passage of the water throughthe container without sediment.

A further object of my invention is the prvision of novel means fordetachably associating the container with the cofiee urn, whereby thesame can be quickly and expeditiously re-charged with the desiredmeasured quantity of coffee.

A still further object of my inventionis to provide an improved cofieeurn of the above character, which will be durable and eflicient in use,one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can beplaced upon'the market at a reasonable cost. I l

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, ar-

rangement, and formation of parts, as will behereinafter morespecifically described, claimed,

and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, inwhich drawings Figure 1is a perspective view of my improved cofiee-making device or urn.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the 6 container for the groundcoffee, with parts thereof broken away and in section, illustrating themeans for detachably and rotatably connecting the container withthe-urn;

Figure 3 is a transverse section through the urn taken substantially onthe line 33 of Figure 4, looking in' the direction of the arrows. Figure4 is a longitudinal section through the urn, taken substantially on" theline 4 4 of H Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the cover for the urn. e y

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the means ofassociating the electric heating element with=the closed boiler, theView being taken substantially on the line 5%% of Figure 7. Figure 7 isan enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of the closed boiler,illustrating the K means of detachably associating the electric heatingelement therewith.

Referring to the drawings in detail, whereinjf' similar referencecharacters designate corre-v sponding parts throughout the severalviews, the letter A generally indicates my improved cofieemaking deviceor' urn, which comprises a'holiow base l0; preferably formed of sheetmetal suitably treated to present a pleasing appearance.

Arranged on the base In is an upright protecting housing or casing II,which receives the closed 85 boiler l2 forthe clear water. The boilerIZrests upon the base l0, and is adapted to be heated by any desiredmeans, such asa gas burner, or the like. p

It is preferred, however, to heat the boiler by 40 i an electricresistance element 13 of the submerged type. The element I3 is of anelongated character substantially L l-shaped in plan, and the ends of.the legs thereof carry depending terminals Hand l5, whichare rigidlysecured t0 a cover plate I6. This cover plate I G closes the 1 openingI1 formed in the bottom wall of the boiler l2,which is formedto receivethe resistance element. The opening is surrounded by a reinforcing ribl8, and agasket l9 can, be interposed .between the cover plate and therib to prevent seepage of I liquid between the same.

Suitable bolts or the like 20 can be employedfor the opening I! at anangle, and is then swun into its correct position with the cover plateIS in abutting relation to the flange or rib l8, after which the coverplate is rigidly secured in place, as described. I

Arranged within the housing or casing H on top of the closed boiler l2on each side of its transverse center are storage and. dispensing tanks2| and 22, which are adapted to receive the made coffee, as will belaterset. forth. The made coffee in the tanks-2i and 22 is kept warm bythe heat rising from the boiler l2, and if sodesired electric heatingelements 23 can be provided for each tank so as to maintain coffee atthe desired temperature. the base ii) carries a switch box 24 for theheating element 13 and the heating elements 23,

and the switch levers 25 for these elements extend through the frontwall, whereby the flow of current can be readily controlled by an"operator.

The casing or housing H is also preferablytreatedto enhance theappearance thereof, and can be insulated in any desiredmanner, such asis indicated bythe reference character 26 for retaining heat therein.The top of the housing. or casing can be closed by removable cover 21,

and it is to be noted at this point that the upper ends of the tanks 2|and 22- are left open. andthat the cover is provided respectively withopenings 28 and29 to permitthe.introduction of the made cofiee into thestorage and dispensing tanks.

Any desired type of handle 30 can be provided for the rem-oval cover 21.

Connected with the lower end of the boiler; I2 is a pipe 3i forpermitting the introduction of water intothe boiler from a'service main,or the like, and a hand-operated valve (not shown) can be incorporatedin thelength ofthe pipe for" controlling the flow of water therethrough.If preferred, a drain pipe 32 can communicate with the lower end of theboiler for facilitating the draining of water therefrom when it isdesired towash the boiler. The boiler is also provided with a sightglass 33, so that the operator can readily determine'the height of thewater in the boiler. This sight glass is arranged exteriorly of thehousing or casing H, and has communication with the upper and lowerends-of the boiler through the medium of short pipes 34 'and35.

Extending from thelower ends of the storage and dispensing tanks 2| and22- are outlet or draw-off pipes 36, and these outlet pipes also .extendthrough the front wall of the housing,

and have connected therewith dispensing faucets 3i. Sight glasses 33 canbe connected with the pipes 36, so that. the height of the-coffee in thetanks can be readily seen.

Leading from the closed boiler i2 is a pressure pipe 39, and this pipelikewise leads out through the front wall of the housing or casing i I,and is adapted to supply hot water under pressure tov the ground cofieecontainer 413, which forms one of the salient features of' my invention,and

which will be later described in'detail. The outer end of the pressurepipe 39 supports a control valve 4!, the outlet end of whichcommunicates with a vertically disposed tube 42, which-forms the supportfor the container 40. ,It is to be noted that the lower end of thepressure pipe 39 terminates short of the lower end of the boiler, andabove theelectric resistance element 13. This prevents water from beingdrawn from the boiler below the top face of the element l3, and- Thefront wall of.

"supporting the perforated filter plate Fill.

thus the overheating of the element, and the burning out thereof, isprevented. The position of the pipe 39 also controls the quantity ofclear water which is forced through the container it.

Referring to the ground coilee container i-Q, it will be noted that thesame includes a cylindrical side wall 43, and a bottom wall A l, whichhas axially formed thereon a depending nipple 45. This nipple isprovided with an interior seat 46.for the ballvalvejil'. A strainerplate 88 is-detachably associatedwith the bottom wall i l above thenipple for forming a upport for the ground coiTee to prevent thedropping of the "ground coffee into the nipple. An interior annular.flange 49' is formed on the side wall of the container adjacent to theupper end thereof for This filter plate supports at its axial center adepending perforated filter tube 5 i which is adapted to extend downinto the ground coffee. The filter. plate 5.9,and the'tube 5!, arecovered by a removable filtering fabric 52, which can be made from anydesired material, and this filtering fabric can be held in place by adraw-string, or

the like. A handle 53 is connected with the filter plate so as tofacilitate the removal thereof from the container. A removable cover 54is provided for the top of the container so as to facilitate theintroduction of the ground coffee therein, and this cover can beprovided with a depending collar. 55 for engaging the filter plate tilto hold the same in proper position on its supporting flange 49. Thecover 54 can be locked in position on the container in any desiredmanner, such as through the medium of a bayonet slot and pin connection56.

Extending radially. from the container iili above the filter plate 50 isa discharge nozzle 57 for the madecoffee, and this discharge nozzle 5'?through which the hot water from the pipe 42 is adapted to flow into thecontainer. The opening BI is formed relatively small so that a suddenrush of water from the boiler. into the container will be prevented, andthe disc forms means for controlling the flow of water into thecontainer without the minute adjustment of the valve 41!. Seated on thedisc 50 is a rubber or like gasket 62, and the nipple 45 of thecontainer is received in the collar and engages the inner face of thegasket. A hand nut 63 isthreaded on the coarse threads of the collar 58,and this hand nut carries a depending annular flange M, which is adaptedto ride between the nipple 45 and the collar 58 for engagement with thegasket 62. If preferred, a wear ring can be-interposed between theflange 64 and the gasket 62. The hand nut 63 can carry any preferredtype of hand wheel 66"to facilitate theturning thereof. Obviously, whenthe nut 63 is tightened, the flange 64 will be forced down against thegasket 62 so as to expand the same into intimate contact with the nipple45, which will hold the nipple in place.

When it is desired to remove the container, or change-the container onthe collar 58, the hand nut is loosened,- which reduces the grip ofduced into the boiler i2 through the pipe 3!, and the height thereof isobserved from the glass 33.

When the'water reaches the desired height, the same is shut oil? and thewater is then heated by the resistance element 53. When suiiicientpressure is obtained in the boiler, the water Will be forced therefrom,up through the pipe 39, through the supporting pipe 22, and into thecontainer it. lift the valve M from oiT of it seat 46, and thus the freeupward flow of the water is unhampered. The pressure will force thewater up through the ground codes in the container, and initially themade coffee will flow into, the bottom of the filter tube 5!. Assediment collects on the bottom of the filter cloth around the tube, theliquid will flow into the upper end of the,

filtering tube and through. the filter plate 56.

The container is positioned so as to dispose the discharge nozzle 5'!over the desired tank or re,- ceptacle, and when this tank or receptacleis filled, the container can be set so as to position the nozzle overthe other tank or receptacle.

The height of the made cofiee in the tanks can be readily observed bymeans of thesight glasses 38. A new batch of coifee is made for eachtank or receptacle, so that the made coffee in each tank or receptaclewill be of a uniform strength.

As a measured quantity of water can be introduced into the boiler, and ameasured quantity of cofiee placed in the container, a uniform grade ofcoffee is assured, without the likelihood of error. If desired, two ormore of the containers 40 can be provided, so that one container canalways be charged with the ground coffee ready for instant associationwith the urn. If preferred, after the coffee is made, the valve 4| canbe closed, and the container removed and cleaner, and again re-chargedwith the ground cofiee, after which the same can be replaced in itsproper position. Obviously, the check valve 41 prevents the downfiow ofliquid from the container into the boiler.

In conjunction with the boiler I2 I also prefer to utilize a relief pipe66, and the upper end of this pipe can carry an adjustable relief valve61. The relief valve 61 can be adjusted so as The pressure of the waterwill to control the pressure within the boiler l2, and i the set of thevalve will control within certain limits the pressure of the water asthe same leaves the boiler. The valve 61 is of the vacuum relief type,so as to allow the intake of air as the water is drawn from the boiler.Obviously, other means can be provided for supplying hot water underpressure to the container 40 instead of the boiler l2. 1

Other changes in details may be made without departing from the spiritor the scope of my invention, but what I claim'as new is:

1. In a device for making coffee, a boiler, means for introducing waterinto the boiler, means for heating the water in the boiler, a pressurepipe leading. from said boiler, a container for ground coifeehavingcommunication at its lower end with the pressure pipe, a deliverynozzlecarried by the upper end of thecontainer, and a disc interposedbetween the pressure pipe and the container having a smalldeliveringorifice.

2. In a device for making coffee, a closed pressure boiler, 'means forintroducing water into said boiler, means for heating the water in said,

boiler, a pressure delivery pipe communicating 2. depending nipplecarried by the lower end of the container, 21. delivery nozzle carriedby the upper end of the container, means connecting the nipple with thepressure delivery pipe, a one-way check valve in said nipple forpreventing the down flow of liquid from the container into the pipe, anda disc having a restricted orifice disposed between the nipple and thepressure delivery pipe below the check valve.

3. In a coffee-making device, a boiler, means for introducing water intosaid boiler, means for heating the water in the boiler, a pressuredelivery pipe leading from the boiler, a container for ground coffeehaving a depending nipple, a delivery nozzle carried by the upper end ofthe container, an externally threaded collar carried by the pressuredelivery pipe, a gasket received in said collar, the nipple beingreceived in said collar and engaging the inner face of thegasket, a handnut threaded on the collar, and a depending'annular flange on the handnut engaging the gasket between the nipple and the collar, as and forthe purpose specified.

AMBROSE A. PETERS.

